UK weather: Heavy rain and thunderstorms spark flood warningson July 8, 2023 at 6:34 pm

Thunderstorms have hit parts of the UK as a hot weather warning remains in place for regions across England.

Heavy showers followed a humid start for many areas on Saturday, with afternoon temperatures approaching 30C in parts of the south-east.

A Met Office yellow thunderstorm alert, which covers most of England and Scotland, has been in place since 09:00 BST and warns of potential flooding.

Rain also disrupted play at both Wimbledon and the men’s Ashes.

Earlier this week, the UK government’s Health Security Agency and the Met Office issued a yellow heat-health alert for six regions in England: London, the South East, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, and Yorkshire and the Humber.

The alert, which is due to last until 09:00 on Sunday, was soon followed up by warnings of heavy showers, thunderstorms and potential flash flooding.

The Met Office’s yellow thunderstorm warning took effect in parts of England, Scotland and Wales at 09:00 on Saturday and lasts until 23:59. A separate warning has been issued for the whole of Northern Ireland for Sunday, from 10:00 until 21:00.

Generally a Met Office yellow warning for thunderstorms means there is a small chance homes and businesses could be flooded quickly and communities cut off by floodwater, while public transport risks being cancelled in affected areas.

At-risk areas will most likely be across east Wales, England and into south-east Scotland, according to BBC Weather’s Simon King.

The storms will be quite localised but “could be nasty” if you get caught up in one, the forecaster said, with torrential rain, lightning, hail, gusty winds and the risk of some localised flooding all possible.

Lincoln, in the East Midlands, York in the north-east of England and Carlisle, which sits on the border with Scotland, had all experienced thunder and rain by midday on Saturday, according to the Met Office.

In Scotland, those attending the second day of TRNSMT music festival in Glasgow were warned to expect warm spells of 24C alongside high winds and thundery downpours.

On Friday, it was announced the Tiree Music Festival, usually held off the west coast of the country, could not go ahead due to gale force winds.

Further public events have been impacted by the weather in England – two major sporting events in particular.

Showers disrupted playat Wimbledon, south-west London, but they should ease later this afternoon with increasing sunshine expected into this evening, BBC Weather’s Simon King said.

As the sixth day of the tennis tournament gotunder way, some of the early matches – which began at 11:00 – were suspended after heavy rain began to fall on the outside courts.

At the men’s Ashes, in Headingley, Leeds, play could only begin at 16:45 after persistent rain hampered proceedings on the third day of the cricket series.

Sunday will be a drier day for most of the UK, however there will still be some showers around with sunny spells in between, BBC Weather’s Stav Danaos said.

There is a chance of rain across south-east England and East Anglia in the morning and some of this could be thundery as it pushes north-eastwards, he said.

The forecaster added that the main focus of the heavy showers and thunderstorms on Sunday will be across Northern Ireland.

It is expected to feel cooler and fresher with less humidity across the UK compared to Saturday.